When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.

This card looks better than anything the UFC is putting out in the next few weeks/months.

When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.

When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.

When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.

In the main event, Roy Nelson (22-14 MMA, 1-0 BMMA) and Matt Mitrione (12-5 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) fight as part of the opening round of Bellator’s grand prix heavyweight tournament. Their opening-round matchup is a rematch from a fight in the UFC more than five years ago, which Nelson won by first-round knockout.

This time, Mitrione is about a 2-1 favorite against Nelson – and also is the oddsmakers’ favorite to win the tournament and the vacant Bellator heavyweight title. Nelson was 265 pounds; he’ll have a 10-pound advantage, as of today, against Mitrione, who was 255.

Both fighters weighed in early in the proceedings, which were overseen by the Mohegan Tribe Department of Athletic Regulation, headed by president Mike Mazzulli. Julaton was on weight at 125 pounds. A couple minutes later, Hardy stepped on the scale and was announced at 126.2. Mazzulli didn’t call for the towel, though Hardy still had a two-piece on.

Hardy left the scale, exclaimed excitement to her corner that she had made weight, and Liam McGeary came to the scale to continue the lineup of fighters stepping on.

Because Hardy left the scale apparently believing she had made weight, she began the rehydration process – likely not thinking that there would be any behind-the-scenes wrangling over her weight, and not thinking she’d need to use the two hours or wait for a towel to be brought out. Instead, she found out after the fact that her official weight was 126.25 pounds – and 20 percent of her purse was heading Julaton’s direction on Friday night.

But Mazzulli today told MMAjunkie that he never told Hardy her weight was good, and made the decision when she was on the scale that in the interest of fighter safety, he wasn’t going to allow her to cut additional weight, or even to strip down with the use of the towel.

“It was never said she was good,” Mazzulli told MMAjunkie. “She got on the scale, (and) she was 126.25 … she was a quarter-pound over. At that point, I explained to her – after evaluating her and seeing how she was – that she was not going to lose anymore. The fight’s not going to happen (if she has to lose anymore) – I’ll cancel the fight. Fighter safety is the most important at Mohegan, and I make sure of it.

“… I evaluated her and I felt I didn’t even want her to (remove her clothes to use the towel), because at that point she wasn’t even speaking to me (on the scale). I made the decision as the commissioner that I wasn’t going to put her on the scale with no clothes on – that’s how concerned I was about her. And my doctors will re-evaluate her tonight at the (ceremonial) weigh-in, as well.

“I explained to her (on the scale) that she did not – that she was over a quarter-(pound), but I was not going to allow her to lose any more weight. … I explained to her, ‘I’m not even going to have you remove your clothes, because at this point you can’t even speak to me coherently. That concerns me.'”

The early weigh-ins took place at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., and preceded the ceremonial weigh-ins for the fans, which take place at 5 p.m. ET at Mohegan Sun. The same venue hosts Friday’s event, which has a main card on Paramount following prelims on MMAjunkie.

When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.

When engaged in combat, the vanquishing of thine enemy can be the warrior's only concern. Suppress all human emotion and compassion. Kill whoever stands in thy way, even if that be Lord God or Buddha himself.